The Hardships Of Forever
by SVUlover
Summary: Twoshot Jiley songfic about the trail Miley and Jake go through. Includes love, Breaking up, and possibly a happily ever after.
1. The Driveway

**First part of a new three shot. This will be Jiley, this chapter is to the song 'The Driveway' By Miley Cyrus. **

**Disclaimer: Song and characters isn't mine. **

**-X-**

It was past midnight as Miley rode in the passenger seat of Jake's sports convertible. It was chilly, but she had a sweater on, the top was down. Her long, curly brown hair was blowing around in the wind.

The couple was 16 (almost 17), and had been dating for a year or so...but the last few months had been...er..._bumpy_, so to speak. It seemed like they fought constantly increasingly more the past month or so, and she knew what was going to happen once they reached her house, only minutes away.

_After twelve, not so well  
__Don't pretend it's too soon to tell  
__What's 'round this bend  
__No disgrace... about face...  
__Anything not to have to chase  
__You down again_

Miley sighed inwardly...she didn't want to admit it, but deep down...she knew.

She was tired of chasing him down all the time. She was tired of the fighting. Maybe she just had to...give in, and let it go. Accept that it's time to move on. _'It's already gone, Miley,' _she told herself._ 'Don't make it hurt worse by holding on when you know there's no hope.'_

_You know  
__Nothing hurts like losing  
__When you know it's really gone  
__Except for the pain of choosing  
_ _To hold too long_

She thought of the last time she'd tried to talk to him about this. He'd begged her to give it a try...and she had. She'd tried it like he said. And what did she have for it? Well...she hated to admit it, but they were worse off then they had been.

Miley sometimes thought of their relationship as a movie...one with_out _the 'happy ending.' So in their movie, they just had to admit... it was time for the movie to be over. Over and done. Let the credits roll, and part of the audience go home bumming because of the not happy ending, and the other part happy cause they detested happy endings.

_I tried it your way__  
__But I got nothing to show  
__It's been the same, same  
__And the story's getting old  
__So I guess the driveway  
__Will be the end of the road__  
__For us it's too late  
__Let the credits start to roll _

Miley thought back to the times where they could go out, and they'd be able to sit in the restaurant, or wherever they were, and just...talk for _hours_. They talked about anything and everything. Now, they had the radio on high, to fill the long, seemingly intolerable silence that stretched upon them.

_A lot to say, but not today  
__L__et the radio break the silence  
__As we drive _

When Miley zoned back, Jake was pulling in her driveway. Over the radio, played a song. Not just_ a_ song. _The_ song. _Their_ song.

Miley usually loved hearing it. But at that moment, it made her want to scream

_A kiss goodbye, not this time  
__Don't remember what about this song  
__I ever liked  
__You know __Nothing hurts like losing  
__When you know it's really gone  
__Except for the pain of choosin__  
__To hold too long _

Jake slowly reached up, and pressed the power button, discontinuing the music blaring form the speakers. "So..." He said, awkwardly. Normally, at this point, he'd lean over, and kiss her goodbye (thier goodbyes were quite...extensive), and then Miley's dad, (who _SO_ didn't spy or anything), would begin flickering the porch light, AKA saying, 'Get in here or you're in trouble, Miley Ray.'

"I think we both know what's gonna happen, Jake," Miley said softly. "We...we tried. We tried, like you asked..."

"...and nothing changed." He finished.

Miley slowly nodded. "I think...I think..."

He finished for her again, with a soft, "We have to break up?"

The silence fell upon them, both processing what they didn't want to accept.

_I tried it your way  
__But I got nothing to show__  
__It's been the same, same  
__And the story's getting old  
__S__o I guess the driveway  
__Will be the end of the road__  
__For us it's too late  
__Let the credits start to roll _

He looked up at her, and said softly, "See you around?"

She slowly nodded. "I guess we just..weren't...meant to be," She struggled out.

"I don't want to accept it," He said, "But...I think so too."

Miley slowly moved her hand up to the door handle, and pulled it, then swung the door gently open. She pulled one foot out, letting her high heeled shoe-ed foot drop to the pavement. One leg still in the car, she turned to him, and gave him a small smile. "At least we tried."

He nodded, then said softly, "Goodbye, Miley."

She leaned over, and kissed his cheek, before stepping out of the car, then whispering to him, "Goodbye, Jake."

As she watched him pull away, his car fading in the dark, she felt the tears that wouldn't fall stinging at her eyes.

_I thought we were getting somewhere  
__But we're still nowhere at all  
__I watch your tail lights fading  
__I try but the tears wont fall  
__I tried it your way__  
__But I got nothing to show  
__It's been the same, same  
__And the story's getting old _

She watched his car until it was out of sight, leaning up against the porch railing. And even after his car was gone, she watched the point where it had vanished.

Was she happy with this? She guessed only time would tell.

_So I guess the driveway  
__Will be the end of the road  
__For us it's too late  
__Let the credits start to roll _

Maybe, in their up and down relationship, there would be a sequel...perhaps one with a happy ending?

_Let the credits start to roll  
__So I guess the driveway  
__Will be the end of the road  
__(Be the end of the road)_

Miley jumped as, around her, the lights began to flicker.

She shut her eyes, and heaved out a sigh, pulling herself away form leaning against the railing, and slowly walked up the stairs, her heels clacking.

_Will be the end of the road  
__(Be the end of the road)_

She didn't want to cry...she couldn't cry, _yet_. She probably would tomorrow. As she pulled the door open, she smiled the teeniest bit. One thing was for certain: tomorrow, Lilly would tear herself away from Jackson (her boyfriend) to jump to the aid of her best friend.

They'd spend the day in pajamas, shut up in Miley's room, with pints of Ben And Jerry's, cushioning the blow to Miley's freshly broken heart.

**-X-**

**I know, it isn't exactly happy, but keep in mind, it's one of three chapters, only one third of the story. **

**Readers of the series: I'm trying my best, I'm hoping to get a chapter out ASAP, it's been looking good, hopefully it'll continue.**

**Now, this story is to be dedicated to Luvs-Mitchel-Musso. This is to help her get more Jileys out there, and hopefully make her verrrrrrry happy!! So yup, this is for you, twinny! I love you, and hope you like this! **

**Review please? **

**-Jen**


	2. Goodbye

**whew, second chapter!! I guess i'm in a jiley mood latley!**

**song: 'Goodbye' - Miley Cyrus**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing. not the characters or the song...the plot is mine though!!**

**Dedicated to: Luvs-Mitchel-Musso ily twinny!**

_Italic _is the song lyrics and **_bold italics _**are flashbacks.

* * *

Miley Stewart groaned, as she squinted against the light of the bright, Saturday morning, in Malibu. It was November 14, 2010. Her 17th birthday had been five months ago...and her and her boyfriend had broken up six months ago.

She turned, frowning, to face her nightstand, and grabbed her big book of pictures. The book was about five inches thick, filled with photos starting the summer before 9th grade, and she was now at the beginning of her senior year. (Yes, she _did _take a lot of pictures.) She didn't bother looking through them all, she just turned to the summer before Junior year...where pictures of her and Jake, and her, Jake and her two best friends mixed with the numerous pictures of her, Lilly and Oliver. She turned to the section where the bright spark had returned to her blue eyes, the one that had disappeared after she and Jake had broken up the first time.

A small smile lit her face, as she came to her favorite pictures. It was two pages, with the laminated pages over the pictures in protection. There were two pictures on each page.

The top one on the first page was of her and Jake, at the beach...Lily had snapped it one evening, as the group (Lilly and Jackson, Oliver and Sara, and her and Jake) had held a campfire at the beach that night. The sun was setting, and her and Jake sat close next to each other in the sand. Jake's arm was around her waist, and her head rested on his shoulder. Lilly had snapped the picture from behind, so it was of their backs, but Miley still loved it.

The second picture, underneath the first one on that page, was just a copy of Jake's school photo from junior year, his amazing, stunning smile on his face. He'd hated it, but Miley had put it in there anyway, as she'd loved it.

The picture on the top of the next page was from prom. Miley was in front of Jake, his arms draped around her waist. He was in a tux, with a hot pink tie, matching the color of her slim, floor length dress, that had rhinestone designs on the top. She didn't know why she loved it so much...she just _did_, without explanation.

And the last picture was similar to the first one, only it was a different night, and their lips were locked in a kiss, his hand cupping her face.

She stared at those pictures for a long while, and then realizing what she was doing. She always looked at these pictures. _Aways_.

_I can honestly say  
You've been on my mind  
Since I woke up today (up today)  
I look at your photograph all the time  
These memories come back to life_

And yet...she didn't care. She'd spend hours, form the moment she woke up, in thoughts about him. And she didn't want to not think about him...she liked remembering.

_And I don't mind_

Once again, she fell deep in to her memories of those times...

_**"Miley, please give us a try again...I'm different, I've changed. I promise." **_

_**Miley studied him.**_

_**His amazing eyes...**_

_**The way his hair fell slightly over his amazing eyes...**_

_**His pleading face...**_

_**And she fell for him all over again, and slowly smiled. "O-ok...I'll give us another chance," She said softly, and smiled at him. **_

_**He looked at her, relived, and slowly, hesitantly stepped forward. **_

_**She stepped forward, meeting him, and he looked in to her eyes, before softly, gently kissing her.**_

_I remember when we kissed  
I still feel it on my lips_

Miley smiled at the memory...the memory seemed so real. Their first kiss their second time around. She remembered it as if it were happening.

_**Miley and Jake sat on the beach, in their special spot they'd found. It was a small enclosure, with a small pond, with a waterfall. **_

_**Miley looked in tot he waterfall. "Dance with me, Jake," She requested, staring off in the distance, at the setting sun. **_

_**He looked at her, pushing a stray piece of hair away form her face, and said, "But there's no music, baby." **_

_**She smiled at him, "We don't need music to dance." **_

_**He grinned back at her, and pulled himself to his feet, then helped her up, and pulled her to him, putting his arms around her waist, her arms going around his neck, as she rested her head against his strong chest, and they swayed for a while, to the music only of the waterfall. **_

_**Eventually, he started twirling her around, then dipped her. She smiled up at him, her arms secure around his neck. **_

_**"I love you, Miley," He said softly, pressing his forehead to hers. **_

_**She looked up at him, shocked, before softly saying, "I love you too," Before she kissed her. **_

_**And she knew it was true. **_

_The time that you danced with me  
With no music playing_

She smiled at that memory. She smiled at all the remembering...of how he'd fix a stray piece of her hair for her, how he was always looking out for her. She remembered seeing his eyes light up.

She remembered everything, until she was in tears.

_I remember the simple things  
I remember till I cry  
But the one thing I wish I'd forget  
The memory I wanna forget is goodbye_

She's reduced to sobs, as the one thing she wished had never happened falls in to her head.

_**Miley slowly nodded. "I think...I think..."**_

_**He finished for her again, with a soft, "We have to break up?"**_

_**The silence fell upon them, both processing what they didn't want to accept. **_

_**He looked up at her, and said softly, "See you around?"**_

_**She slowly nodded. "I guess we just..weren't...meant to be," She struggled out.**_

_**"I don't want to accept it," He said, "But...I think so too."**_

_**Miley slowly moved her hand up to the door handle, and pulled it, then swung the door gently open. She pulled one foot out, letting her high heeled shoe-ed foot drop to the pavement. One leg still in the car, she turned to him, and gave him a small smile. "At least we tried."**_

_**He nodded, then said softly, "Goodbye, Miley."**_

_**She leaned over, and kissed his cheek, before stepping out of the car, then whispering to him, "Goodbye, Jake."**_

Sobbing fully now, Miley pulled herself out of her bed, and, fumbling, put her iPod on the iHome, and played their song, and sang along with it, through her tears. "_Our song is the slamming screen door, Sneaking' out late, tapping on your window, When we're on the phone and you talk real slow cause it's late and your mama don't know our song is the way you laugh the first date 'man, I didn't kiss her, and I should have' and when I got home ... fore I said amen, Asking God if he could play it again." _She tearfully sang out in her soprano voice.

At the end of the song, as she did every day of the weekend, she reached for her cell phone, sitting on her bedside table. She looked at it, opening her contacts, going to Jake. But then she pressed cancel, and set it back down. It wasn't worth it. Really, none of the remembering was either. But she didn't care.

_I woke up this morning  
And played our song  
And through my tears sang along  
I picked up the phone  
And then put it down  
Cause I know I'm wasting my time_

And I don't mind

More memories flashed through her head...

Countless kisses...

Countless whispered nonsense...

Countless 'I love Yous'.

Everything flashed through her head, everything she wanted back. Everything she regretted giving away.

_I remember when we kissed  
I still feel it on my lips  
The time that you danced with me  
With no music playing  
I remember the simple things  
I remember till I cry  
But the one thing I wish I'd forget  
The memory I wanna forget is goodbye _

She was silently crying, her face resting against her soft, tear stained pillow. She was pulled out of her reminiscing by her cellphone going off.

She glanced to it, her eyes widening. The ring tone was 'Our Song'. Still, six months later, she hadn't changed the ring tone.

_Suddenly my cell phone's blowing up  
With your ring-tone_

She gulped, and stared at it, debating with herself. After hesitating, the part needing to hear his voice made her reach out, and press the SEND button. She slowly lifted the phone to her ear, and spoke softly, "Hello?"

"Miley..." His voice sounds different, as he softly speaks her name. He sounds...sad...he sounds...alone.

"Hi Jake," She says, equally as quiet. And what he says next surprises her.

_I hesitate but answer it anyway  
You sound so alone  
I'm surprised to hear you say_

"Miley...I haven't been able to stop thinking about you since I drove away form your house that night. I've tried...but all I do is remember...kissing you...and that time we danced in our spot with no music, when I told you I loved you...I keep remembering all this stuff!" He said, frustrated.

"Me too." I whispered softly, sitting up.

He continues talking...and we talk for hours. We talk till both me and him are in tears.

_You remember when we kissed  
You still feel it on your lips  
The time that you danced with me with no music playing  
You remember the simple things  
We talked till we cry_

"Miley?" He asked softly, after a stretch of silence.

"Yea?"

"There's only one memory of us that I have that I want to take back...that I wish you'd forget." He said softly.

"Which one?" She said softly back.

"The night we told one another goodbye."

_You said that your biggest regret  
The one thing you wish I'd forget  
Was saying goodbye_

_Saying goodbye_

_Oh, goodbye  
_

She swallowed the lump in her throat. "I wish it'd never happened, too."

There was a period of silence. "D-do you think...you're willing to give us...another try?"

She breathed out, and whispered, "Yea, Jake. I think I am.

-X-

A bit more then a month later, The Stewart, Ryan, Truscott and Oken families gathered at the Stewart house on Christmas eve.

Jackson and Lily, Oliver and Sara (she was Jewish, but was invited to joint he festivities), and Miley and Jake all sat in the dark, the only light coming form the Christmas tree lights, on the living room floor, the adults in guest rooms upstairs, Robby Ray in his room.

Lily was lounged on the couch, her head resting in Jackson's lap. Oliver sat in the chair, Sarah seated on the floor, her back resting against his legs, and Jake sat up against the back of the other chair, Miley in his lap, his arms aorund her waist.

All the teens were silent. Miley surveyed them all, and smiled. She was happy again, and deep down, she knew - she hoped – that all of her Christmases from now on, would be basically like this. With family, friends...and the guy she loved.

* * *

**hope you like! Next chapter will be posted soon, i hope...it's hte last one...who knows if they'll end togehter...hehe...review?**

**-Jen **

**PS: Sorry the formatting is all centered near the end...the document manager never likes me -cry-**


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